DAVID DAWSON FROM SWINDON SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In a case that has shocked the local community of Swindon, David Dawson, a 39-year-old father of two, has been convicted and sentenced for possessing indecent images of children on his personal computer. The incident came to light after authorities responded to a complaint at Dawson’s residence in Pinehurst, a suburb of Swindon, in May 2007.

According to court proceedings, police officers visited Dawson’s home following a report of suspicious activity. During their investigation, they seized his computer for forensic analysis. Initially, Dawson denied any involvement in viewing pornography, asserting that he had only accessed adult websites. However, as the investigation progressed, he admitted to having viewed such material, but insisted he had not accessed any content involving children.

Further examination of the computer revealed nearly 100 indecent images of minors, predominantly classified at the lowest level of severity. The police also uncovered search queries made on the device, which included phrases such as ‘pre-teen nude’ and ‘young girl nude’. These searches had been conducted between 6.20am and 6.50am, a detail that became significant during the investigation.

When questioned again, Dawson initially denied typing these phrases, suggesting that someone else in the household might have done so. Nonetheless, statements from his teenage sons, aged 17 and 15, confirmed that Dawson was the only person awake during that time. Under further questioning, Dawson ultimately admitted to viewing the images for sexual gratification, acknowledging his involvement in the activity.

Prosecutor Roxy Cole explained to Swindon Crown Court that the images had not been stored directly on Dawson’s computer but had been recovered from a data area where the system retains information temporarily. The images were not distributed or saved onto any disc, and the total number was relatively small, with fewer than 100 images identified.

Initially, Dawson pleaded not guilty to charges of making and possessing indecent images of children. However, on the morning of his trial, he changed his plea to guilty after a judge indicated that he would not impose a custodial sentence. The court heard that the images involved children over the age of 13, and none of the images were stored permanently or shared.

Defence lawyer Lucia Whittle-Martin highlighted that the activity spanned over seven months and involved fewer than 100 images, none of which were stored on Dawson’s computer permanently. She emphasized that the images were at the lowest level of severity and that Dawson’s actions did not involve distribution.

Judge Douglas Field sentenced Dawson to a two-year supervision order, which includes participation in an accredited sex offender treatment program. The judge also mandated that Dawson register as a sex offender for five years and ordered the confiscation of the material involved in the case. The court’s decision reflects the seriousness of the offense, balanced against the relatively small number of images and the circumstances surrounding their viewing.